Improvement in scythe-fasteners



W KRETSINGER.

Scythe-Fastener.

No. 203,166. Patented April 30,1878.

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WITNESSES MPEIERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D. 04

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. KRETSINGER, OF FORT MADISON, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SCYTH E- FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,166, dated April 30, 1878 application filed February 9, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. KRET- SINGER, of Fort Madison, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Scythe-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,

reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of my scythe-fastener. Fig. 2 is a side view; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken through line a: w of Fig. 1.

This invention is designed as an improvement on the scythe-fastener shown in Letters Patent granted to David A. Goodnow, dated October 7, 1856, No. 15,849, and the novelty consists in the peculiar construction of the means of securing the scythe to the snath, whereby the scythe can be easily adjusted, in the manner hereinafter more fully set forth.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate my invention.

Arepresents a heavyplate or block of metal, with an opening, a, in the face side of the same, and placed upon or sunk into the wood on the lower side of scythe-snath B, at a proper distance from the outer end to receive the ordinary scythe-heel craw. 0 represents the scythe-heel, with the craw I) turned down at right angles with the extreme end thereof.

In the opening a of the plate or block A are inserted two or more slides, d d, provided at their inner ends with flanges e 'e, fitting in grooves made in the sides, at the bottom of the sides, to prevent them from dropping out. A space is left between these slides, sufficiently large to admit the craw b. A hole is then made in one side of the plate or block A, and a thread cut in said hole, to receive a thumbscrew, 1), the inner end of which bears against the center, or nearly so, of one of the slides 11. The scythe is then fastened, near the turn of the heel 0, upon the snath B, in any usual manner, the craw I) being placed between the slides d d, or between a slide and the wall of the opening a, when the thumb-screw D, is screwedin until the craw and slides are pressed firmly together. By these means the scythe can be adjusted readily'to suit the operator.

In the drawing I have shown the plate or block A extended forward to the end of the snath, and formed with a band, E, encircling the end of the snath. A slot is made in the forward end of the thus extended plate, and a corresponding recess in the wood of the snath, to receive a loop, G, which encircles the scytheheel C near the bend, and is formed with a bolt, F. This bolt passes through to the upper side of the snath, where a nut, H, is screwed upon the end of the bolt to firmly clamp the scythe.

To prevent the thumb-screw D from getting loose while the scythe is being used, a jamnut, I, is applied on the same to lock the thumb-screw and keep it to its place. By means of the movable slides and the thumbscrew, the craw can be clamped andheld firmly,

no matter how the craw is made. The craws being made by hand, they are seldom of the same size, but necessarily vary more or less. With my invention a firm and secure fasten ing is secured in all cases.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The] scythe-fastener consisting of the plate A, having at its lower end the band E, and near its upper end the slot a, the clampingloop G, the movable slides 01 d, and thumbscrew 1), adapted to clamp and hold a scythe the heel of which is provided with the craw I),

turned down at right angles with the extreme end thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. KRETSINGER.

Witnesses EKIN SMITH, B. F. HODG-MAN. 

